The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-07
SLEEP-WALKER In PERIL.
Remarkable Feats of Woman on the House
Top and in the Cemetery.

WEKEssARRE, Pa, Dec. Ga remarkable
case of somnambulsm is reported in this city.
Mrs. Rebecca Eldridge is the proprietor of a
private boarding house on North Main street
Seves Al times she has left her bed and walked
around the house in. her sleep. but until last
week never left the dwelling.
On Tuesday last Mrs. Eldridge got out of
her ted while in of her somnambulant fits
and walked down stairs with a prayer book in
her hands. just as she was going out the front
door she was met by one of her boarders
named Stewart, printer, just returning from
work. Stewart caught the woman by the
and led her back in the house 1t was
some hours before she could be aroused, and
when she did come to her senses she stated that
she did not know what had happened her. but
that she thought she was on her way to
church.
On Wednesday morning she had far more
serious and startling experience. It was about
3 4. NJ when Mr.. Stewart returned home and
the westher was intensely cold. He had let
himself in and was proceeding to bed. when he
noticed that Mrs. Eldridge's bedroom was open.
and moment later he found that the trap-door
from the attic to the roof was wide omen. He
instantly sllrmised that Mrs. EldriGge had gone
out on the root in state of sleep-walking. He
at orre made the ascent and looked out of the
trap door.
To bis CONSERVATION he saw her standing on
the roof Of w. L.. LooInis's house, next door.
She hat. gained the roof of her own house, and
then must have stepped or jumped an interven-
ing space of fully three feet between the houses,
a feat which even would hesitate to do
III the night. and feat which rot one woman In
hundred would have essayed in anything but
a life and death emergency.
She was standing on the roof as before, with
notaing on but her night dress, with the ther-
nio2aeter twelve degrees below freezing! She
had two bundles of dress goods under her arm.
Mr. stewart was in p quandery. To call to her
ara ewSsFn her in the position she occupied
ssats in her DEATH in the alarm of
av l1ang and finding herselfin such situation
killed on the pavement below.
He did not know what to do. He went back
into the house, and while celebrating as to the
best course to pursue, he was delighted to
Mrs Eldridge coming back into the house
through the trap. having once more crossed the
space between the houses. In reply to his in
quiries as to what she was doing she said that
she had to go to the dress makers. She was
again put to bed, and woke up a few hours later
none the worse for her experience and without
the slightest remembrance of the adventure.
Yesterday morning when Mr. Stewart got
home at 2:20. he found the front door open. and
at once concluded that Mrs Eldridge had been
taken with another somnambuliStic fit, and was
wandering through the streets. He up
stairs and aroused the family. VINO found that
the mother was not IN bed. Her son George
was called, and after notifying the police to be
on the lookout for her, started out in search Of
her.
They found her in the city cemetery. She
had nothing on but night dress and bonnet.
She was engaged in prayer. She was nearly
frozen stiff, and physician says she has sus-
tanned shock which will probably result in her
death. The doctors say it is the most remark
able case record. There have been cases
where people have walked in their sleep for
short distances. but never for whole hours. In
Mrs. Eldrldges case she walked in her sleep
from her house to the cemetery, a distance of
two miles.